USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg counts down to the start of the college football season team by team from No. 128 to No. 1.

Navy's blueprint for success includes heaping handfuls of Keenan Reynolds, once and again and once again, with Reynolds standing as the do-everything linchpin of an offense with deep and unshakeable roots in the time-honored tradition of the triple option.

His running style is the child of a gazelle and a bowling ball, with the speed and elusiveness of the former and the devastating, sniff-the-end-zone destructiveness of the latter. Thirty-one touchdowns, a number so beyond the norm it boggles even the firmest and most well-informed of minds – 31 touchdowns, for goodness sake, the most by a quarterback in Football Bowl Subdivision history.

Reynolds will pass and break your heart, doubly so if you're Army. Remember the drive: Navy went 80 yards in seven plays back in 2012, highlighted by the junior's 49-yard connection with Brandon Turner that placed the Midshipmen on the doorstep of another Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Reynolds scored the winning touchdown on the ground, of course.

Sacrilege, maybe, but let's put it out there: Reynolds is Navy's best quarterback since Roger Staubach. This isn't heresy, nor a slight to the rest of the Midshipmen's near-legends – Ricky Dobbs, Chris McCoy and Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, to name a few.

It's simply clear, plain as day, and also fitting, given how Reynolds has quietly taken on an assault of the school and national record books. His is a career in such promising bloom it raises a simple question: How did Navy get this guy?

Like Staubach before him, Reynolds gives Navy a shot at the Heisman Trophy. It's been 41 years since Staubach took him the hardware; Reynolds will make a run at the title in 2014 – and again in 2015.

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION:

Navy will lose three of five from Air Force through Notre Dame, and likely drop another from the group of Indiana, Western Kentucky and San Jose State. Everything else is winnable; you could even make the case that every other game on this schedule should end in a victory, which would again leave Navy at 8-4 heading into the postseason. Most of all: I project Navy to retain the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for another year.

2013 RECAP:

In a nutshell: It went entirely as expected. This is a good thing, mind you: Navy was expected to win eight games during the regular season … and won eight games during the regular season, one each against Air Force and Army, and capped the year with a 24-6 bowl victory against Middle Tennessee State. It was the Reynolds show, once and again and once again, with the then-sophomore accounting for one of the finest running seasons by a player in college football history – no, not just by a quarterback, but by any player with two legs. It was Reynolds that led this offense to heights not seen under Ken Niumatalolo; Navy scored 436 points, the program's most since Paul Johnson left for Georgia Tech.

Low point: A double-overtime loss to Toledo. If the season went entirely as expected, this loss was entirely avoidable. The Midshipmen would win six of their next seven, however, perhaps learning a lesson from the sloppy, error-prone play that allowed the Rockets to storm ahead in the first three quarters.

Tidbit: Navy owns Army, as you may have heard, but Navy also owns the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. The Midshipmen are 21-2 against Army and Air Force since 2003, with a 12-0 mark against the Cadets joined by a 9-2 mark against the Falcons. Overall, Navy is 92-49 during the last 11 years; Air Force is 70-66, with Army a woeful 35-97. Think of it like this: Navy has outscored Army 400-132 during the last dozen meetings in the series.

Offense: Let's sit back and watch Reynolds do his thing. You know the drill: Reynolds is perhaps the most important individual to his team's success in all of college football, a statement buttressed by his wall-to-wall production in Navy's offensive system. It's not about what he does well; it's about where he can improve an already impressive skill set. The answer – and you knew this was coming: Reynolds needs to continue to tune his production in the passing game. It's not like he's a negative by any stretch when in passing situations; Reynolds can stretch the field and convert on third down, as evidenced during his first two years, and he certainly has a flair for the dramatic in the clutch. Put simply, Reynolds must blend his eye-popping rushing totals with a touch more consistency and reliability on early downs, a development that, if achieved, would make Navy's offense even more unpredictable – and more dangerous. There's a reason he's a Heisman contender: Reynolds is the real deal.

Keenan Reynolds, who rushed for 31 touchdowns in 2013, is one of the best Navy quarterbacks of the past 50 years.(Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

The running game is going to dominate. It's not just about Reynolds, let alone the strong supporting cast back in the fold; it's about a very solid offensive line, one that returns completely intact while forming the backbone of this entire attack. From left to right: Bradyn Heap will start on the blind side and E.K. Binns at left guard, while senior Tanner Fleming and junior Blaze Ryder continue to duke it out in the middle – and Fleming's size gives him the edge; junior Joey Gaston will handle right tackle, with senior Jake Zuzek, a really nice interior lineman, handling the load at right guard. Very quietly, this line is a team strength.

But they'll get lost in the shuffle behind a strong rotation of backfield options. The Midshipmen do lose Darius Staten, and his big-play potential will be somewhat hard to replace. But there is certainly strength in numbers: Navy brings back fullbacks Chris Swan (420 yards), Noah Copeland (339 yards) and Quinton Singleton, with this trio again shuffling touches, while Geoffrey Whiteside (363 yards), DeBrandon Sanders (340 yards) and Demond Brown (220 yards) carry water in more traditional roles. Sanders, who doubles as Navy's most electric receiver, might be the most irreplaceable cog in the entire scheme – outside of Reynolds, of course.

Navy's DeBrandon Sanders (21) is a dynamic runner and also the Midshipmen's best receiving option.(Photo: Ed Szczepanski, USA TODAY Sports)

Defense: I don't have tremendous faith in this defense, which must lean on an experienced secondary while undergoing a slight state of transition along the front seven. The line is a good example: Navy brings back Bernard Sarra on the nose, for example, but the junior must prove he can handle the every-down load after splitting snaps last fall with former starter Travis Bridges – and if he struggles, Navy would be forced to hand the middle to sophomores Cam Henson and Patrick Forrestal. On the outside, the Midshipmen return senior Paul Quessenberry (25 tackles) but must replace Evan Palelei, with the latter's former role falling to junior Will Anthony, senior Aaron Davis or junior A.K. Apunku.

Basically, the middle of the defense – from nose tackle to inside linebacker, from inside linebacker to safety – seems like a bit of a concern. There's the changing cast on the nose; on the second level, Navy will transition senior Jordan Drake (43 tackles) inside in an effort to replace two lost starters. This comes with its positives, but there's a drawback: Drake was able to get to the quarterback on the outside, so Navy does lose some explosiveness. But Drake could eventually slide back outside should the staff feel comfortable with senior James Britton, last year's backup – perhaps pushing senior Obi Ozuma into a reserve role. As of now, however, it looks as if Drake and junior Don Pearson will start in the middle of this 3-4 set, flanked by Ozuma and senior Chris Johnson (84 tackles, 3 interceptions). To me, getting Drake and Johnson on the field – and perhaps finding a role for promising sophomore Will Tuider – are the only necessities. Outside of this group, unfortunately, Navy has issues.

The secondary is ready for a degree of improvement as a result of increased experience. Last year's cast is now a year wiser: Brendon Clements (49 tackles, 3 interceptions) is now a sophomore cornerback, for example, not a freshman, and it's safe to be excited about his potential. Likewise on the opposite side, where Navy can pick from a quartet of juniors for the starting job: Kwazel Bertrand and Quincy Adams, but there could be roles for Shelley White and Myer Krah. The void comes at safety, where Navy shouldn't feel overly comfortable in either of Wave Ryder's potential replacements, senior Lonnie Richardson and junior Lorentez Barbour. What's clear is that senior free safety Parrish Gaines (65 tackles, 3 interceptions) must add more nose-near-the-football production to his handling of the back end.

Special teams: It's the same group, a fact that could lead to an uptick in production from the kicking game. Junior Nick Sloan is fine on field goals, as is senior Pablo Beltran on punts, but junior Austin Grebe's work on kickoffs demand improvement. Navy's defense needs the help on field position; Grebe needs to put more kicks into the end zone, if not directed into position to assist the Midshipmen's coverage teams.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH:

Wide receivers: Navy needs to locate a new cast at receiver after losing last year's top three to graduation. This isn't as small a deal as one might think: Navy's receivers block first, of course, but this offense needs a field-stretcher, a steady third-down target and a complementary target with the ability to fill roles out wide and in the running game. We know Sanders is going to contribute a heavy amount as Reynolds' favorite target, but the junior needs some help. It's a fairly unknown cast: Brendan Dudek has played a touch, but the same can't really be said of sophomore Jamir Tillman, junior Thomas Wilson, junior Marc Meier and sophomores Calvin Cass and Julian Turner. It's not a great situation, based on the inexperience – but it's not a terrible situation, not by a long shot, since this returning cast does bring to the table a firm knowledge of what is expected from the position. All it'll take is one of the unknowns – let's say Dudek and Tillman start – stepping forward in an increased role.

GAME(S) TO WATCH:

Army: It's always Army.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION:

In a nutshell: Get one thing out of the way off the jump: Navy's not just going to win another Commander-in-Chief's Trophy – the Midshipmen are going to blow Army and Air Force out of the water. This is a team that stands one significant leap ahead of its service-academy brethren in overall talent – this is obvious – but also in coaching, confidence and consistency, assets that should travel beyond this rivalry series and aid Navy's attempts at another seasons with eight or more wins. To me, this is a team that should set this year's baseline at eight wins and aim for more, perhaps putting fear into big-name opposition and challenging for Niumatalolo's second season with double-digit wins.

If everything clicks, Navy is winning at least nine games during the regular season. Whether the Midshipmen click entirely is up for debate, however. It's not about the offense, a group headlined by one of the nation's best under center, loaded with accompanying talent in the backfield and perhaps defined by a seasoned, veteran and productive front five. When on its game, this offense is going to be an absolute handful. In my mind, the concern is the defense: Navy shouldn't feel overly secure in any one unit, though it's possible to imagine a scenario where each grouping – even the front three – responds to the challenge and improves upon last year's up-and-down showing.

Again: If everything clicks, Navy's going to be dangerous. Perhaps not to Ohio State, perhaps not to Notre Dame; the Midshipmen will just be deadly against more teams than not, particularly when matched up against opponents of similar talent yet dissimilar cohesiveness. Whether Navy moves into the conversation for a national ranking hinges on games against OSU, Notre Dame and Rutgers, the three major-conference foes on the schedule. Even if they lose all three – and Rutgers is very, very winnable – Navy is an eight-win team with the possibility for nine victories during the regular season. This has become like clockwork.

Dream season: Navy goes 11-1, losing to Ohio State in the opener before running the table until the bowl play.

Nightmare season: The Midshipmen lose to Army.

UP NEXT:

Who's No. 47? The third director of this university's marching band shared his last name with a current NFL quarterback who attended a Big Ten school and started three games during the 2013 season.

RANKING EVERY FBS TEAM FOR 2014

No. 128 UMass: The Minutemen have a new coach, Mark Whipple, but the same outlook on what should be a dismal 2014 season. Even in a Mid-American Conference without viable contenders outside the top four, UMass is a long shot to win more than one game during the regular season. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 127 Florida International: One season after playing the worst football of its Football Bowl Subdivision existence, FIU attempts to rebound under second-year coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers would need to take three significant steps forward to merely contend in Conference USA. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 126 Eastern Michigan: Chris Creighton steps into Ypsilanti and assumes one of the toughest coaching jobs in the country. The Eagles’ new coach will have a promising young quarterback to work with but not much else. It’s going to be another down season for EMU. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 125 Georgia State: Georgia State is no longer the worst program in the country, which is a good start. Next, GSU must embrace Trent Miles’ approach on both sides of the ball while the staff adds talent on the recruiting trail. The future might still hold promise, but this year’s team is only slightly improved compared to last year’s version. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 124 Georgia Southern: One of the nation’s newest Football Bowl Subdivision brings a history of success and last year’s win against Florida to the table. But Georgia Southern is still undergoing a coaching change while adapting to the heightened level of competition, two factors that set the bar low for 2014. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 123 Hawaii: The goodwill has run out on Norm Chow, who has coached Hawaii through its worst two-year stretch in decades. To improve, the Warriors need to locate a quarterback and find a pulse on defense to match with the rest of the Mountain West Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 122 Miami (Ohio): A program built on a history of successful coaching hires now hands the reins to former Notre Dame assistant Chuck Martin. While he’s an upgrade on the sidelines, Martin is going to need at least two years to rebuild the RedHawks from the bottom up. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 121 Idaho:
Paul Petrino’s fiery style and offensive mindset has fit well into the Vandals’ underdog mentality, but drive and hunger will only get you so far without the talent needed to win more than three games during the regular season. Idaho’s offense is better, but the team as a whole still lags. That talent took another hit on July 20 when Dezmon Epps (1) was kicked off the team in the wake of a DUI. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 120 UAB: This program is excited about its potential under Bill Clark, who replaces Garrick McGee, but Clark has his hands full with a roster and program beaten down by a miserable decade. If the Blazers do exceed expectations, Clark’s ability to maximize his roster will be the cause. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 119 Appalachian State: This program moves up a level after a surprisingly ineffective final year in the Football Championship Subdivision. To rebound, the Mountaineers need to rely on a pair of sophomores at quarterback and running back. While the promise is there, the first year could be ugly. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 118 Army: Go Army, beat Navy. But first, the Cadets must prove they can beat any team on the 2014 schedule. A coaching change helps, but Todd Monken needs to roll up his sleeves and bring back some toughness to a program too accustomed to season-ending losses to the rival Midshipmen. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 117 Western Michigan: P.J. Fleck and the Western Michigan staff can recruit, but can they coach? The jury’s still out after a 1-11 season, and even if talent is on the way it’s hard to imagine the new freshmen immediately reversing the Broncos’ slide to the bottom of the Mid-American Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 116 California: Cal’s shortage of talent, experience and depth makes the Golden Bears the weakest major-conference program in the country. Playing in the Pac-12 doesn’t help. In terms of a positive, Sonny Dykes has found his quarterback and has accumulated enough receivers to make this passing game work. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 115 New Mexico State: The schedule will paint a better picture, but New Mexico State remains one of the weaker programs in the country. Even if the Aggies squeeze out four wins, they are devoid of the sort of difference-making talent to contend for a top-five finish in the Sun Belt Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 114 UTEP: The Miners need to remain healthy after a season ravaged by injuries. Second-year coach Sean Kugler can’t control injuries, but he’s on the hook for one of the worst defenses in college football. Helping matters is an offense led by quarterback Jameill Showers, but it won’t be enough. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 113 Southern Mississippi: With a long losing streak over, the Golden Eagles can look forward to this fall on a high note. Optimism helps, but to regain a foothold in Conference USA the Eagles must do a better job protecting the football and limiting big plays on defense. The outlook is still pessimistic. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 112 Kansas: Charlie Weis enters his third year at Kansas with little hope of bringing the Jayhawks out of the Big 12 cellar. The offense lacks skill players, has no help up front and a rookie at quarterback. The defense could be a nice story, but only if the pass rush improves. As is, KU is the weakest team in the league. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 111 UNLV: The team must continue last year’s push without the opportunity to reach another bowl game, thanks to an NCAA postseason ban. While the talent is there, Bobby Hauck and the Rebels could struggle matching last season’s finish without any hopes of playing into December. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 110 New Mexico: Three years after his arrival, Bob Davie has successfully added the depth needed to reach the postseason. But New Mexico’s questionable defense, shortage of experience on both sides of the ball and lack of balance on defense should prevent the Lobos from breaking through to six wins. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 109 Tulane: The program's biggest issue will be the increased level of difficulty with the move from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference. Another concern is a roster that lacks the experience and proven production needed to run with teams like UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 108 Purdue: This team is at least another full season away from being considered more than an afterthought in the Big Ten. One issue is talent: Purdue has none. Another is the feeling that this program is headed on a downturn due to years of coaching missteps and mismanagement. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

107 Kent State: With big gaps in the backfield and defensive tackle, Kent State will need a team effort to move back into bowl play. That won’t happen unless the offense locates a receiver, the defense lands a pass rush and the team as a whole lucks into one or two upset wins. The Golden Flashes are headed for a four-win season. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 106 Old Dominion: ODU is the best first-year Football Bowl Subdivision program in recent history, if that means anything. What the Monarchs do well is move the ball offensively; what they do poorly is play defense. While Old Dominion has the foundation to eventually succeed, the first season is always the hardest. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 105 Wake Forest: First-year coach Dave Clawson is familiar with rebuilding projects, which should come in handy as he takes over for Jim Grobe at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are too young to contend on either side of the ball against the best teams in the ACC, but things might need to get worse before they get better. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 104 Kentucky: The Wildcats’ recruiting efforts yielded one of the nation’s best classes in February, but those incoming freshmen will need at least a season or two to get a taste of the Southeastern Conference. While Kentucky’s future remains bright, Mark Stoops and his staff need at least one more mulligan before being viewed by wins and losses. Look for more of the latter in 2014. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 103 Wyoming: Landing one of the top Football Championship Subdivision coaches in history made this a successful offseason. Whether it’ll be a successful regular season depends on whether or not Craig Bohl can work miracles with this roster. Bohl’s a great hire, but no coach in the country could lead the Cowboys to the top of the Mountain West Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 102 Air Force: A down season led Air Force to recommit itself to competition. That should lead to the best 22 players starting on both sides of the ball, but it won’t be enough to totally overhaul a defense fresh off the worst season in program history. The Falcons should be happy with four or five wins. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 101 Colorado: Colorado’s a four-win team in the Pac-12, one of two in the conference without a realistic hope of reaching bowl eligibility. That’s a negative, but the program’s recent growth points to a bright future. That breakthrough is coming in 2015, however. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 100 SMU: The Mustangs need a jolt of energy after a sluggish 2013 season. Unfortunately, the offense lost its top receivers and the defense is dangerously young in the secondary. Combined, SMU looks like one of the bottom three teams in the American Athletic Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 99 Iowa State: The Mark Mangino-led offense might be good enough to steal an upset during Big 12 play, but the defense ensures another season of nine or more losses for the Cyclones. In total, Iowa State has the league’s worst defense from top to bottom. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 98 Rutgers: This team is going to struggle at first in joining the Big Ten, if only due to a nasty schedule, but the real test will be whether or not the program can regain some footing and eventually challenge for footing in the East Division. When it comes to 2014, the Scarlet Knights are headed for eight losses. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 97 Florida Atlantic: South Florida-raised Charlie Partridge returns to his old stomping grounds with a reputation as a dogged and tireless recruiter of the region's fertile base. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 96 Memphis: The coaching is in place, the losing mentality has been reversed and the roster has been rebuilt, but Memphis remains a year away from ending its long and painful absence from the postseason. One reason is a brutal schedule. Another is the lack of depth nearly across the board, which could cause the Tigers to fall apart if injuries are an issue during the second half. (Photo: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 95 Virginia: This program's defense might be good enough to lead the Cavaliers to four or five wins during the regular season, but a young offense and a general lack of confidence could doom 2014 before the start of ACC play. If UVa does again find itself at or near the bottom of the conference, the university might opt to make a coaching change. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 94 Akron: If no longer the doormat of the Mid-American Conference, Akron remains a season away from reaching bowl eligibility under Coach Terry Bowden. While the Zips have talent and confidence, the lack of experience and depth will be an issue against the better teams on the 2014 schedule. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 92 South Florida: Willie Taggart's blueprint for South Florida has been recruiting, as his latest class doubled as the best in the American Athletic Conference. But the team needs coaching; it needs leadership, conviction and a sense of identity, and it definitely needs a quarterback. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 91 Texas State: Unsatisfied with six wins, Texas State spent the offseason installing an up-tempo offense and a new aggressive style on defense. In the long run, these changes will help the Bobcats get over the hump and contend for the Sun Belt Conference championship. In 2014, however, the Bobcats should struggle in the transition to the new philosophies. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 90 Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers and Jeff Brohm begin play in Conference USA with a questionable passing game and nine new full-time starters on defense. While the Hilltoppers should be competitive in Conference USA, it should take a year for the program to solve its issues on both sides of the ball. (Photo: Jim Brown, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 89 Arkansas: A dreadful passing game and holes on defense will doom
Arkansas to another losing season. Then there’s the schedule, which ranks among
the most difficult for any team in the country. The Razorbacks need at least
one more year before they make noise in the SEC West Division.
<o:p></o:p> (Photo: Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 88 North Carolina State: The Wolfpack is counting on a collection of campus newcomers and a former star recruit turned transfer - Jacoby Brissett - for a turnaround in 2014. (Photo: Rob Kinnan, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 85 Central Michigan:
Running back Saylor Lavallii (6) is one of the reasons the Chippewas are one of the most experienced teams in the MAC. But they also have questions at a number of positions, including quarterback. (Photo: James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 84 Illinois:
Running back Donovonn Young (5) and the Fighting Illini tend to be unpredictable in their performance, but they have high hopes that solid quarterbacking will provide a quick reversal of fortune in 2014. (Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 83 Tulsa:
End Brentom Todd and his teammates on the defensive side of the ball may have to carry a little extra load as the Golden Hurricane offense rights itself in 2014. (Photo: Beth Hall, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 82 Nevada:Defensive end Rykeem Yates (55) and the Wolf Pack are aiming for a drastic improvement in run defense in 2014. And a return to the Nevada running game production of the past would help, too. (Photo: Melina Vastola, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 81 Boston College:
Eagles defensive back Sean Sylvia (19) is part of a secondary that needs to click quickly in 2014. But fortunately for B.C. other aspects of its team don't have a lot of questions, just growing expectations. (Photo: Mark Konezny, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 78 West Virginia:
The Mountaineers had a severely disappointing season in 2013, but with players with the talent of cornerback Daryl Worley dotting the roster, a turnaround in 2014 would not be surprising. (Photo: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 76 San Jose State:
Thomas Tucker (3) and San Jose State have the talent to contend for the Mountain West title, but the Spartans will have to resolve a big question at quarterback get a performance out of its new 4-3 defense that is worthy of its talent. (Photo: Ed Szczepanski, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 70: Middle Tennessee State
The Blue Raiders have perhaps Conference USA's best linebacker in T.T. Barber (38), but they will need to match their efficiency at stopping the run with their new commitment to an offensive run attack. (Photo: Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 69 Indiana:
The Hoosiers have an overhauled receiving corps, but its offensive line and backfield led by Tevin Coleman (6) gives Indiana one of the Big Ten's best attacks for 2014. (Photo: Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 67 Minnesota:
Though the Golden Gophers are strong on the run, quarterback Mitch Leidner (7) will need to get the passing game uncorked for the team to maximize its results this season. (Photo: Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 66 Utah:
The Utes are unsettled at many positions, adding value to the steady performance provided by players such as Dres Anderson (6), a 1,000-yard receiver in 2013. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 65 North Texas:
Antoinne Jimmerson (22) and teammates Reggie Pegram and Rex Rollins form a stout backfield for the Mean Green, which will rely on them heavily while sorting out its quarterback situation. (Photo: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)